Artist Hands

I have artist hands
Blue paint under my nails
ink stained fingers
Smudges of midnight charcoal
I attract color like north attracts south
When water runs cold over my skin
the colorful beauty marks remain embedded
in my palm, a purple crescent
A splash of green
I like them, I hope they never wash off
Because I am an artist
And I should have
                                Artist hands


                                Jamie Alaine Hulley
                                           1999